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Perla Negra - Francisca Cubillo, Costa Rica

Perla Negra - Francisca Cubillo, Costa Rica

  • Tastes like: Cherry Cola, Butterscotch, Fig Preserves
  • Light
  • Fruit Dried (Natural)
  • Syrupy and Modern
Regular price $25.90 USD
Regular price Sale price $25.90 USD
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Perla Negra - Francisca Cubillo, Costa Rica

Perla Negra - Natural Process Single Varietal Microlot

Francisca and Oscar wanted to do a second special micro-micro lot just for us. They were really happy with the results of their hybrid cultivar testing program and one of those, the Hybrid 17 stood out as the sweetest. Francisca knew that we prize sweetness she took only the highest Brix content cherries from from her special reserve lot in their most important farm Las Lajas (where the whole operation gets its name) and then processed it using the famed Perla Negra natural process.

There is a very small amount of Hybrid 17 on Las Lajas and they made it all for Torque. They ended up with only 10 bags of this special micro-lot and we are so excited about this coffee! It's one of our favorite coffees we have had from Francisca and Las Lajas since we started working with them in 2009!

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Beneficio Las Lajas ranks as one of the most progressive, high-quality coffee mills in all of Costa Rica. Francisca Cubillo and Oscar Chacón are the third generation of coffee producers in Costa Rica and the first to process their own coffee. Las Lajas is one of the few farms in Costa Rica growing Certified Organic coffee.

Las Lajas is located in Sabanilla de Alejela Costa Rica near the base of Poas Volcano. The west Central Valley is the location of some of the best coffee in Costa Rica. Francisca and Oscar Chacon are third generation coffee farmers since 1840. When Oascar’s father passed away he inherited 5 hectares at the age of 18. He and his mom kept the legacy alive. In 1997 Francisca and Oscar were married. Francisca attended University in Costa Rica for an agriculture degree in coffee. 

In 2009 a massive country-wide earthquake caused widespread power outages and destruction right at the peak of their coffee harvest. Francisca had a crazy idea to try and dry their coffee with the cherry intact since that is how they do it in parts of Africa where there isn't electricity and running water in the dry season. So they spread their coffee cherries out on patios, flat roofs and even hastily built camas africanas (african style raised beds) and dried their coffee slowly in the sun. The results were this crazy black dried cherry that they called Perla Negra. And it was amazingly delicious! And history was made in Costa Rica.

 

Learn More About This Coffee From Francisca Cubillo and Oscar Chacón

Perla Negra - Francisca Cubillo, Costa Rica

20% Return To Origin: 20% of retail price = $5.18 /340g - $6.00 /lb

20% Return To Origin = The portion of the retail price that remained in the country of origin.

Financial Transparency:

1. 20% Return To Origin (lb): $6.00 green FOB
2. FOB to Our Roastery costs (lb): $1.58
3. Final Roasted Cost (lb): $8.71
4. Torque costs to roast, pack & ship coffee: $7.25 /lb
5. Final Torque Cost: $15.97 /lb

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Terms:
- 20% Return To Origin = The portion of the retail price that remained in the country of origin
- FOB = Free On Board - the coffee is bagged, labeled, and ready to load for shipment. This is the point where all that money stays in origin
- EXW = coffee has left country of origin and available at a commercial coffee warehouse,
- All costs from FOB to EXW to our roastery
- Transport costs = the cost per pound to get the coffee from a central warehouse to our roastery
- Final Roasted Cost = All costs from FOB to EXW to our roasters, plus an average roast weight shrinkage percentage
- Torque Costs = All the other costs besides the raw roasted coffee to get it to the point where it’s ready to go including living wages for our staff.
- Final Torque Cost: = All of the above- per pound

Country Of Origin: Costa Rica

Partner Since: 2009

At Torque we believe in buying more coffees from fewer producers and fewer origins We go deep rather than wide. We focus our coffee sourcing to work with a smaller group of like minded coffee producers who share our vision for changing the world of coffee.

Technical Info

Producers: Francisca Cubillo and Oscar Chacón
Country: Costa Rica
Region:  Sabanilla de Alejela
Farm: Beneficio Las Lajas
Varietal: 100% Hybrid 17
Process: Perla Negra Natural
Altitude: 1,250-1,750 MASL
Exporter: SMS Costa Rica
Importer: Atlantic Specialty
SCA Quality Score: 90

Preparation Style: Espresso and Filter

Our approach to both sourcing and roasting is that every coffee has to be good enough to stand on its own. No blenders, no base coffees, no filler. We take that same approach to roasting and preparation methods. All of our coffees are excellent in nearly every brew method from pour over to espresso.

That being said we have our preferences and so we label our coffees with Espresso, Filter or Omni as a quick way to guide you.

Subscription Type: Modernist and Espressoist

This coffee will be featured in one of these coffee subscriptions.

Parameters

Brew Parameters

Torque Coffee Brew Guide

Espresso Parameters

Espresso:
18-19g coffee in
36-38g liquid out
200-201F
27-30 seconds

Proportional Pricing

 

Out of the $400 billion coffee industry, a meager 5% stays where it's grown, leaving farmers with crumbs. At Torque, we're rewriting this injustice. Our radical approach ensures equity for coffee producers, shifting power dynamics.

Torque Coffees is transforming the coffee industry with Proportional Pricing©, a simple, transparent system that ensures at least 20% of the retail price of every coffee remains in the country of origin. Unlike traditional models that leave producers with scraps, Torque links their earnings directly to the coffee’s retail value, giving them a fairer share. No hidden fees, no complex formulas or giveback schemes—just clear, upfront equity for the people who grow your coffee. By reverse-engineering the supply chain, Torque is creating a fairer system where both producers and consumers know exactly how much value returns to origin.

We're breaking norms, building a fairer future. Torque Coffees reverse-engineered the chain, advocating for a balanced, equitable industry. It's time to empower those who make your coffee. Together, let's dismantle inequality in the coffee world.

torque coffee proportional farmer equity

Sustainability Info

Since we are all on the consumption end of things we can never get to carbon neutral without stealing the carbon positive from coffee farmers. So instead of aiming for a negative, we are striving to destroy less and be as carbon beautiful as we can.

The Torque Coffee Bag

  

     

    100% Plastic Free

    100% Compostable & Biodegradable 

    100% Plant Based

    plastic free packaging

     

    We have partnered with Better Packing Co to be even more carbon Beautiful!

    Every order is packed loving in either:

    the brilliant ZeroPack mailer Made mostly from limestone quarry waste and a minimal amount of recycled resin as a binding agent. 

    YES THESE bags are made of freaking limestone!

    zero pack mailer

     The Zero Pack is a truly remarkable process! 

    CARBON NEUTRAL
    We offset any carbon emission from this already low energy production process.

    • Production of these mailers is solar-powered and uses no water, acids or bleaches. It's also 'zero waste' because all off-cuts can be put 'back in to the pot' and recycled.

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     For larger multi bag orders and for wholesale orders we use the equally brilliant

    BAMBOO Box!

    These boxes are made mostly from bamboo (and some recycled wood pulp). They are just the thing to ship precious goods in. Curbside recyclable, reusable (at least a couple of times) and compostable. 

    Unbleached, FSC certified Bamboo (2/3) and recycled wood pulp (1/3).
    • Water-based printing ink.

    bamboo shipper